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Royal Rendezvous

Published: Volume 13, Issue 2, March-April, 2005

The Victorian Gothic structure houses two of the world’s largest crystal chandeliers, the famous Silver Train that used to serve royal guests during banquets and Asia’s largest and most exquisite one-piece carpet woven by 100 craftsmen over 12 years.

Gwalior's grand fort, stone carvings, ancient temples and delicate Chanderi saris, all seem to be enveloped in a stately time warp. Sumitra Senapaty checks into the opulent Usha Kiran Palace and walks through a town seeped in history and old-world charm

Rather than a whistle-stop tour, I prefer to explore Gwalior at a leisurely pace and get to know the city intimately. (Gwalior, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, as the story goes, is named after a saint who cured the local king from leprosy.) As I enter the palatial grounds of Usha Kiran Palace, I notice the air of timeless elegance, tinged with eloquent hints of former royal grandeur that western tourists particularly seem to find captivating. A gracious 120-year-old palace, originally built to host the king and queen of England, it is the ancestral home of the Royal Scindia family, now converted into a heritage hotel by the Taj group, where visitors like me can indulge themselves in true royal style.

My two days at Usha Kiran Palace seem like a week because I have to experience so much, and even wrestle with my better judgement about overeating at the hotel’s outdoor café. The rooms are decorated in a very elegant style, reflecting the local culture and architecture and in fact no two rooms are the same. My room is lavishly furnished with divans and silk cushions and orange Chanderi silk curtains with typical zari borders delicately separating the living room from the bedroom. I also have a dekho at Chand Nivas and Suraj Nivas, the two luxury suites. Adorned with genuine Venetian mirrors and mother-of-pearl mosaics, they offer magnificent views of the grand Gwalior Fort.

My discovery of Gwalior begins at the Jai Vilas Palace. Built by Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scindia, the palace is still occupied by the Scindia family and adjoins the Usha Kiran Palace. This Victorian Gothic structure houses two of the world’s largest crystal chandeliers, the famous Silver Train that used to serve royal guests during banquets and Asia’s largest and most exquisite one-piece carpet woven by 100 craftsmen over 12 years. I even manage to take a picture of one such banquet, where the Silver Train had been pressed into service. This was at the Silver Saloon, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant that serves Maratha and Nepali specialities along with other cuisines.
What are the other interesting places? It is really very difficult to answer this one, as there are scores of ‘must-see’ places in Gwalior. To begin with, I decide to check out the Gwalior Fort, Man Mandir Palace, Saas Bahu Ka Mandir and Gujari Mahal. Gwalior is known more or less exclusively for its 1,000-year-old fort, which rises on a hill near the infamous Chambal ravines. What really caught my attention here were the pretty colours of the Raja Mansingh Palace with its blue, green, yellow and red tiles in the shape of peacocks, parrots, crocodiles, tigers and elephants and incredibly delicate stone carving in Oriental style. The ninth century ‘Saas Bahu’ temples were apparently built for a mother and daughter-in-law who prayed separately as they worshipped two different gods. The guide informs me about the son et lumiere, narrated by none other than Amitabh Bachchan. Towards evening, the fort is lit up with the glow of sunset and surround sounds of mayhem and battle. One of the largest and mightiest forts in India, it also offers an unsurpassable view of the glittering Gwalior lights below.

On the way back to the hotel, I stop a while at the shops. The funtoosh (rickshaw) provided by the hotel is pretty apt for the crowded lanes and by-lanes and deftly manages to take me from one relevant shop to the other. The delicate Chanderi and Maheshwari saris enthral me for hours on end.
I return to Usha Kiran by late evening and the air is heavy with the scent of flowers as I walk through the gardens for my spa appointment at Jiva by Taj, which happens to be the only spa in the world with live musicians serenading guests with Indian classical music during their treatments! Old ruins, crumbling structures, trees and swings, sure add to Jiva’s spa appeal, along with the two stone lions overseeing the beautiful pool. Located in the palace gardens, it is equipped with treatment suites, a meditation

garden with mandarin orange and banana plants, ancient pillars and an open courtyard. The Jiva spa is dedicated to the art of living life well.
Rejuvenated at Jiva, I look forward to a much needed meal at the Saloon. After a delicious platter of fresh salad, next on the cards is a thyme-scented Cream of Chicken that one willingly opts for. As the plates are cleared away, I remark on the strong herbal presence and am surprised to hear that all the principal herbs and some vegetables and fruits are grown in the hotel’s kitchen
garden itself. Culinary indulgence continues with spicy lamb, Maratha style, and Nepalese tangy mushrooms, rounded off with a kulfi, cocooned in a chocolate cone, wrapped in silver warak!
The following day, satiated beyond doubt in every possible manner, I find myself reluctantly heading back to Delhi on board the Shatabdi Express. The manager and a few members of the staff have come to bid me farewell at the gate. I think this is quite a nice gesture. Generally, hotels welcome guests with much fanfare but nothing as grand happens when the guests check out. At Usha Kiran Palace, the staff do not bid you farewell but look forward to your return some day. I look forward to it as well!

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